TV viewing numbers for the 2019 MLS regular season saw a dramatic decline compared to last year, so much so that the MLS TV ratings slumped 19% while the opening weekend of the MLS playoffs dropped 54%.
For the 2019 regular MLS season, viewership over the 62 televised broadcasts averaged 268,081 viewers according to research from World Soccer Talk. That compares to an average of 332,435 last year for the same number of games, marking a 19.35% decline in viewership across all MLS broadcasters combined — FS1, FOX, ESPN, ESPN2, Univision, UniMas and TUDN.
MLS fans may attribute the dramatic decline to the impact MLS games have with the World Cup as lead-in on the over-the-air FOX network. But when MLS broadcasts from over-the-air FOX are removed from the 2018 and 2019 data, the overall viewing average still dropped 9.4% from 2019 to 2018 (237,517 in 2019 compared to 262,161 in 2018).
While MLS TV ratings continue to decline year over year, the 2019 regular MLS season saw a greater average viewing audience on Spanish-language television than the English-language TV networks. Univision networks averaged 238,000 viewers for MLS games compared to 203,000 viewers on FOX Sports and ESPN combined. Having said that, MLS viewership on Univision networks dropped 17% in 2019 compared to 2018.
The downward trend of MLS TV ratings continues on FOX Sports where viewing numbers averaged 223,294 in 2019 compared to 235,581 in 2016, which is a 5.2% decline.
SEE MORE: MLS has a TV ratings problem, and it’s named FOX Soccer
Any hopes of a TV ratings boost during the opening round of the MLS playoffs failed to materialize last weekend. Out of the six games featured on US television, the MLS playoffs averaged 177,500 viewers at a time when you would expect viewing numbers to skyrocket given the league’s fixation on using a format from traditional American sports. Average viewership for the 2018 MLS Playoffs Knockout Round was 390,750. The decline from 2019 to 2018? The average viewing audience plummeted 54.5 per cent.
How does MLS fix their TV ratings problem?
Analysis by Christopher Harris, Soccer media analyst
Unfortunately for MLS, there isn’t a quick fix to their declining TV ratings. The problems the league faces are systemic and would require seismic changes to alter the perception of the league’s lesser quality of play and inconsistent production value.
With the league focusing most of its efforts on generating expansion fees, signing new sponsors and increasing attendance numbers, Major League Soccer has taken “their foot off the pedal” and neglected the league’s TV partners. Instead of, just as one example, focusing on shifting the league’s calendar so the most important time of the season doesn’t conflict with NFL and college football, MLS carries on with a “business as usual” approach.
At the same time, MLS continues to increase the number of teams in the league which has the double impact of diluting the quality of American players across Major League Soccer while making the relatively meaningless regular season even less relevant. After all, when 58% of the teams make the playoffs, what’s the incentive to watch the league’s first five months when teams can go on a winning run in the late summer to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Nothing seems to change in MLS, and the issues with the league go unaddressed.
SEE MORE: Access our archive of soccer TV ratings from 2007 to present
Another worrying concern is that MLS doesn’t have a solid foundation of hardcore fans who are interested in watching the league on national TV. MLS supporters are more likely to be casual fans, easily switching allegiances to NFL or college football teams when their MLS team isn’t playing. Even when it isn’t NFL or college football season, most MLS fans are disinterested in watching games from the rest of the league. Given that there’s so much of a focus on selling tickets to local games and the relatively poor quality of the league, it’s not surprising that fans of local MLS teams don’t have much interest in watching the rest of the league on television.
While the likelihood of promotion/relegation ever happening in MLS is a pipe dream given the league’s business model, the league needs to address how diluted the product is when you have 29 teams and growing. Ideally, the league needs to consider MLS1 and MLS2 leagues where the top 14 teams compete in the top flight league, and the remainder of the MLS2 teams play in the secondary league with chances to advance to the top tier. But knowing MLS executives, I don’t foresee the league changing anything anytime soon.
It’s more likely that the league will continue to expand until they have 20 teams in the Western Conference and 20 more in the Eastern Conference. Given that generating expansion fees is the number one goal for the league, it’s no wonder that TV ratings are unimportant to them. After all, when MLS TV rights are combined with the U.S. national teams as they have been for years, it means that MLS TV rights are subsidized by the US Soccer Federation. If the MLS rights were uncoupled from the U.S. national team contracts, MLS would then have to sink or swim, and to make serious changes.
To fix MLS TV ratings, fans will have a laundry list of ideas that they believe will help the league (setting up a more consistent TV schedule, TV networks need to advertise more, MLS needs better players, etcetera). However, none of these factors will help because the core structure of Major League Soccer is broken for two main reasons: (1) MLS games are not as competitive as other leagues because the champion is determined in a cup competition after five months of largely irrelevant league games. (2) The quality of soccer in the bottom half of MLS is poor because there’s no penalty or relegation and very little accountability for a team that plays badly in the league.
Meanwhile, soccer fans in the United States have access to better soccer from around the world that’s more accessible than MLS games. As a result, viewers are tuning out Major League Soccer and tuning into other leagues, clubs and competitions from around the world.
If you hate MLS and want to keep bashing on it, don’t watch. There’s European Leagues that do WORSE than MLS. There are European teams who never made a World Cup also and don’t have a good league, yet you say nothing about them. I really don’t care if I get hate. I’m sick of tuning in to listen to something bashing MLS. It’s our league. If you don’t like, go watch your European leagues. No one really cares. It’s getting to a point where you sound redundant week in and week out. Bundesliga does bad also, yet you say nothing. You have an agenda. Don’t even lie about it. We do things our way. If you don’t like, don’t watch. Simple as that. No one is forcing you to.
You’re correct, Daniel, there’s no need to hate MLS, it is what it is. I watch global broadcasts often and enjoy what I see. I don’t watch MLS because it doesn’t excite me, but I don’t complain about it. There are hundreds of viewing options for soccer fans every week, and we couldn’t watch them all anyway.
The only growth of MLS is expansion of new teams. What happens when they can not expand anymore? If they don’t change and make improvements, this league will not survive. We expect more from MLS. We expect to have a top league in the world but this is not it. I will argue that Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chili, Peru, Colombia all have better leagues even though there is more money in the US.
Exactly this is just the red meat for the anti MLS crowd to parrot on Twitter for the next 2-3 yrs.
Simply put we never get these articles for the other 4 of the Big 5 Euro leagues because thats not the concern of this site. This site opinion begins and ends with the view that MLS is wrong/illegitimate because they don’t implement Pro/Rel . The choir of people of the viewpoint eat it up. So from that viewpoint all of their coverage of MLS is geared and modified to that standpoint. It does this site no good to point out the flaws in that theory like
1. If MLS in their opinion is being tuned out by viewers of other leagues because they can watch soccer that is palatable up to their elite taste why do/didn’t these viewers not watch those other leagues more than MLS back when they were more accessible on TV before they got pulled to obscure channels and pay OTT because lack of being a hot commodity. I’,m looking at leagues like Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue One. La Liga…..?
2. The most popular league in the US isn’t the best in the world, but is just a notch above MLS, Not leaps like the EPL. That league is Liga MX. Why is it that this is a league that abandoned Pro/Rel for a few seasons and basically doesn’t really have it, (its a convoluted form of it). For instance a team going down can simply by its way out of it. Really not much different from MLS teams using the US Sports league franchise model.
3. Why aren’t these things like the even lower/non existent ratings of these other “more important leagues” not talked about ad-nauseum on World Soccer Talk. Its because the people they talk to live in a soccer bubble no different from politics and a political bubble. They don’t want to hear things that don’t fit/shake or destroy their viewpoints. They want the red meat to feel vindicated and this site gives it to them.
4. Sky is falling concern troll routine is getting old. Here’s a funny FACT MLS TV ratings on a whole have risen 7 out of 8 years was 7 straight before this year. You never know it because WST would’ve had you believing during that time of incremental growth 5-10% each year that MLS was in shambles. The league not going anywhere and WILL 3x the next TV rights. So people that hate the league need to come to grips that its not just gonna go away you’re yelling at the clouds. If your gonna be done with it be done with MLS but move on and let those of us enjoy it enjoy it. This applies to World Soccer Talk if this is gonna be your editorial standards apply it across the board not just with MLS
How is quoting numbers off of a spreadsheet based on gathered data “Hating MLS”?? Typical MLS fanboy nonsense: You don’t like the truth, therefore you think people are “Eurosnobs” or some other silly designation for people who are simply stating facts. Last week, NJ/Philly played in a playoff game in a combined metropolitan area of about 27 MILLION … that’s 27 with 9 zeros behind it … and drew about 121,000 viewers. That’s beyond appalling. TV shows get cancelled for viewership that is 10 times BETTER than that. This league is not respected anywhere, especially worldwide. That’s not hate, that’s a fact. Accept it.
When its don time after time with several articles dedicated to the topic while all but one Euro League (EPL) has even lower TV ratings than MLS with MLS pulling 5 to 6x those some of those leagues numbers no (hyperbole)yet thats not harped on to the exent of MLS.
Your head must be buried in the same or you are one of the anti/MLS peeps cause they eat that stuff up. It’d be one thing if they cover all the leagues equally and we saw articles/podcast constantly about how bad or how no one in the US wants to watch Serie A/La Liga/Bundesliga/Ligue One but we don’t or if it is talked about its accompanied by a load of excuses of about how bad the broadcaster treats the league(Bundesliga) or the league went for the money they could be like EPL if they went for distribution(La Liga). The simple truth is just not that many people are interested in those leagues so thats why they are on obscure channels. But as I said that doesn’t get talked about here.
When those leagues are talked about by this site the coverage is generally positive and they act like there is this ton of support and interest in those leagues when there just isn’t. Some of you haters break your mfing neck to call some body a MLS fanboy when truth is you haters are some of the biggest hyporcrits thats why us MLS Fanboys MLS Truthers” call you guys out and this site out and will keep doing it til we feel coverage is fair. You gonna sit here and harp on MLS TV numbers and act like MLS is failing in America then turn around and act and like the other Big 4 Euro leagues you worship is on MLS level in the US when it comes to viewership. The only leagues that move the needle in the US is Liga MX the most watched league EPL the top league in the WORLD and MLS the top division US league in that order.
Have to agree with you here. I do not watch much MLS and prefer Serie A and La Liga, but can see the hypocrisy of saying MLS is in crisis over ratings when they make excuses for other leagues ratings.
Fact is soccer is still niche as a professional sport in this country. Fact is the Euro leagues do have an advantage being played mostly when there is no competing sporting events on (mornings or early afternoon). Many believe ratings for EPL would be even higher if matches were magically played in our prime time, but I think it would be less as they’d still capture the hardcore fans but lose the casual fans who’ll gravitate to their local NBA/NHL game or whatever popular television series is on live at the same time.
NBC has captured the casual fans, that is the reason for the EPL ratings increase since leaving Fox Soccer/ESPN. Marketed better and more easily accessible.
Exactly there is a notable trend and dip in EPL TV ratings once once college Football/NFL enter the meat and potatoes of those seasons outside of 3-4 teams that’ll still draw a diminished but decent audience, What you said about the casual fans is true, but people don’t want to admit that soccer is still niche and want to resort to its not us it’s you MLS you’re the problem.
If those soccer fans would open their eyes and see the truth is soccer is niche it has a nice size pocket of fans in that nichedom but soccer is also divided in the US because of the absence of a long standing successful US Based league to develop a larger base of hardcore fandom. The casuals fans that are free in the spring/summer tune in to the traditional leagues. EPL isn’t immune to this and would face the same issues as MLS if roles were reversed.
Gasp…blasphemy right? Now imagine EPL on another network like back on ESPN or even worse back on ESPN in MLS timeslots going against the start of NBA/NHL the thick of College Football and NFL season and oh the WorId Series. I just don’t get how so many “informed” soccer folk don’t know their soccer TV history and don’t remember what things looked like for EPL pre-NBC on Fox Soccer and ESPN. Liga MX is immune do due the proximity of Mexico and large Mexican American population.
Wait a minute here, if soccer is “niche” in the US, and I don’t argue that it isn’t, then the NHL is also niche. I don’t know if you would agree with that or not but the evidence demonstrates this. EPL is but a slice of the soccer viewership/fan base in the USA, but it has about the same US viewership numbers as the NHL. And Liga MX in the US has a much larger viewership than either NHL or EPL. Add that to the polling data (Gallup 2018) and the proof of fan base size of soccer vis a vis hockey is evident.
NBC has been good for EPL viewership, but even with a Fox or ESPN contract, EPL games are morning time offerings. So the point about going head to head with traditional American sports is diminished.
Now, the question of NHL having maybe a bit more of its brand mainstreamed, and hocky having less stigma, is another question entirely.
EPL ratings are essentially about the same as the NHL viewership, and on the same network (NBC). And this equality makes sense when you consider the relative popularity of soccer and ice hockey in the USA as demonstrated by polling data. So I would not expect EPL viewers to gravitate to NHL viewership if EPL games were televised in similar time slots.
The point of this article is that people don’t care for MLS and aren’t watching MLS.
The same could be said for comment trolls that have to harp on every MLS story that points out the obvious flaws in the league. Stop reading MLS stories on WST and get in with your life.
As is right now, whether you like what i’m about to say or not, US Soccer Federation HAS NO FORTITUDE WHATSOEVER TO REIGN ALL THE PROFESSIONAL LEAGUES, instead, the half@$#-genius wannabe at SUM, MLS, AND NEWS CORP., have all created this half-baked league that resembles Donald Sterling’s view of his once-owned-and trashed team with broadcasts that sounds more like spending an hour of incoherent BS by just about every programs on Fox News Channel. it’s not even a surprise as to why they FAILED so miserable in the long term.
It’s your league??? Huh that is why MLS stinks. Bc of viewers like you. MLS is so cockey. That is why I stopped watching this league. Its our league…..SO stupid. No body is forcing me???? Yep nobody is. No Crap. Its America and that is why I stopped. Broadcasters are awful. Team are silly. Players are awful and old.
I think people have to come to the realization that this is reality for MLS. There is no changing these TV numbers. You could add all your wishes, pro/rel, a different calendar and you really think Chris that the numbers increase? It’s America, we like the best so we go to the best leagues La Liga, EPL etc. Players aren’t going to flood to this league because “O I gotta go to MLS now, they got the new calendar!”
….and what happens as MLS quality improves over time, which it probably will? Will TV ratings also improve? If not then the idea that “America likes the best” as an excuse is flawed because that suggests that interest/viewership is correlated to quality.
And expansion diluting American talent isn’t that great an argument since the marketplace for players is global.
And expansion is NOT primarily about the generated expansion fees. It’s simply more about covering markets. The expansion fees are primarily to compensate existing owners for a dilution of their interests with expansion.
There is another factor in this, FOX does a terrible job of promoting the games they are showing. Frankly I think Fox doesn’t even care about the MLS at all IMHO.
Fox is awful. The picture qualify stinkers and the american broadcasters are awful. Honestly I stopped watching FOX a long time ago. They screwed up the champions league for many years. FOX made me stop watching bc of the awful broadcasting which in turn made me stopped watching MLS. Thanks FOX. YOU STINK!
MLS needs to get away from October entirely. They are drowned out by other sports as mentioned.
Given that the playoffs do so poorly TV ratings-wise (and ticket-wise as well?) perhaps the answer is ditch the playoffs entirely, and award the MLS Cup to the team with most points (Supporter Shield) and have the season completed in late Sept. Perhaps the race for points increases rating enough to cover for the lack of playoff games. The obvious flaw is the unbalanced schedule.
There could be some sort of further emphasis on the US Open Cup to fill the need for a knockout competition. The current MLS Cup match could be replaced by a Supporters Shield v Open Cup for another trophy.
I don’t think we’ll see pro/rel due to the business model of the TV contract – MLS delivers certain markets and # of viewers to the broadcaster; having those #s fluctuate might mean fluctuating or reduced rights fees and it’s highly doubtful any of the stakeholders have the stomach for that.
The pro/rel crowd doesn’t appreciate the geography of TV markets. France, the largest country by size of the Big 5 Western European leagues, is 10% smaller than the size of Arizona plus New Mexico, and England is roughly the size of Alabama. The geography of most European leagues is more akin to high school sports state playoffs in the US and doesn’t deal with the more American media phenomenon of hundreds of local TV markets. If you’re going to have a national TV deal in the US, you need geographic guarantees.
That being said, MLS could immediately boost national TV ratings by eliminating salary caps and letting teams that want to win to spend big. Having an unequal league with top teams among the best in the world outside the Big European leagues will draw way more viewers than insisting on parity.
You are probably right…….let the LAFC’s and NYCFC’s spend into the stratosphere and let the chips fall where they may. mls needs some national “power” teams just like baseball has the Yanks and Sox and the nba has Lakers and Celtics etc
They need a Real and a Barca. Or even just a new version of the Cosmos. They need teams that capture the imagination.
If MLS had a better product nobody would use the old “competing against other sports” excuse lol.
Nobody uses that excuse when NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA (etc etc) matches are on at the same time, just stop. It’s so lame
Doubt we’ll ever see pro/rel in MLS. Just isn’t part of the sporting culture here to not have playoffs. Don’t think lack of pro/rel is the culprit for lower ratings either. If anything it would probably lower them further for clubs out of the running. In seasons where there is a run away winner would depress the ratings league wide. Think we see this here with ratings for European leagues. Title race down to the wire (like Man City/Liverpool last year) and rating do well throughout, when the winner is clear by February might see a dip. European leagues have the added bonus of clubs trying to qualify for Champions League that keeps up some interest here even when the league title is just a formality….MLS wouldn’t have that if it went to pro/rel.
Most of our other sports have playoffs where almost half the teams qualify, yet still interest over an 82 game schedule (NBA and NHL).
The calendar is the top issue. Casual fans will tune out MLS once other sports begin their seasons in September and October. When MLS 1st started in 1996 used to follow it closely in Spring and especially Summer, but once fall came around it would fall by the wayside.
My ham handed solution: Once they get to about 30 teams only have regular season matches within conference (home and road) for about 28 games (could be a couple of fixtures most weeks). Season runs from April to end of July or early August then playoffs (top 4 qualify). MLS Cup could be on Labor Day weekend.
The current season is too long and doing themselves no favors having the playoffs coincide with the meat of NFL/College football and the beginning of NHL and NBA.
Good points I however think that MLS will power thru. The thing people forget when comparing MLS to other US sports leagues is that those league have 24-32 teams across the US and are more established in American Culture. MLS had 21 teams in the US and most of those US teams are less than 15-20yrs old.
This is the reason for expansion even tho people keep harping on talent dilution that is a white whale. With expansion you will hit a point where you have 29 US MLS teams across the US. There is just a natural TV footprint growth that will occur its baked in the question is how much is it. Even if it just a extremely small number like 5-10k people in those new markets that become followers of the league as a whole instead of just their local team thats still 40-80k new cable/National TV viewers for MLS which puts it right on line with a league like NHL cable TV ratings.
The best format IMO is 32 teams 4 divisions Play your division 2x (14 games). Play other divisions 1 time (24 games) 38 games in total. Playoffs can stay same with 14 teams and single elimination.
I too believe MLS will survive. It’s approaching 25 years now and attendance in most markets shows there’s a healthy appetite for it. Like the comparison to NHL. That is also largely a regional sport (USA not speaking for Canada obviously!) with limited national TV appeal. Yet the league is healthy and has full stadiums (partial season ticket holder right here!) in most markets. MLS can be similar, national TV ratings aren’t the be all end all metric for viability. Fans in the seats and local interest in local clubs is much more important.
Exactly I look up to NHL as the realistic near term and long term growth point and what the league should aim at. A look at NHL Stanley Cup Average of around 5 million viewers the last decade with game 7s gettting 7-8 million viewers is a example of what a regional sport like MLS/NHL can do once you had natural time of the sport being around can do for TV ratings NHL tho regional thru the years has built enough of a casual fans base to get that much for a game 7. MLS is right around the 2.5 million mark for its big one off game it will take time but I think MLS can get there.
Go Caps!!
Just because P/R isn’t “part of the sporting culture here” doesn’t mean it wouldn’t work. Employing it would instantly differentiate it from the big four American sports they compete with. And experiencing it up close would most likely convince people how great it is. The size of the US is actually an advantage. An open system which gives people the opportunity to invest and win their way up the pyramid would spark investment in clubs that haven’t even been imagined yet.
You forgot about owners. You know, the investors who make the league go, who are essentially the league. Without them none of this exists. And as Sunil Gulati once said in response to a pro/rel question, “we are not in the business of devaluing our assets”. It won’t work.
But we do have a sporting culture for pro/rel, it’s youth club soccer. Our kids are growing up with it and have been for many years.
My knocks on MLS has nothing to do with “Eurosnobbery” pro/rel or all these other scapegoat allegations. The real problem for MLS is that they are not taking themselves seriously, it is used by the other sports team owners as a cash grab and also as a sanctuary for those who couldn’t make it in other sports. Whereas in most other parts of the world, Football is the number one choice of sport followed by others such as rugby, cricket, tennis, F1 racing, basketball, etc.
You go to Brazil, you would see 10-16 year olds playing their hearts out for a chance to get noticed by the Brasileriao or some scout that has connections to the major teams in Europe. The best America has put out is Pulisic and hes on the bench for Chelsea and was not too much better at Borussia Dortmund even with more playing time.
Back to MLS, fundamental changes would have to be made with respect to the philosophy of the league, they can start by regarding themselves as a big league and make the most out of their opportunities. How else did you think Panama made the World cup in ’18 but not the US. American players need to learn to play with pressure in mind, if pro-rel is not going to be instituted, at least eliminate the playoffs and just the top four MLS teams make the CONCACAF champions league knockout rounds. Garber should leave already as well.
I agree with some of what you said …just that the problem with what you said is a cultural problem in our soccer society that has leaked in to the US players that play in and for US leagues. In the beginning US players were fighting for respect and acceptance in the US general public.
Now with the past two decades of World Cup success they now feel they’ve made it Internationally and Domestically. “The grit” underdog mentality that helped fuel the American player has been lost. The mentality you see from alot of fans on sights like this of just get to Europe go to Europe and be somebody has seeped in to players minds they simply think hey I’ve made it to Europe I’m somebody mission accomplished.
The truth is it doesn’t matter where you play you can thrive and become better if you have determination and hunger and that comes from your environment. The environment now teaches you’re too good for this and that don’t waster your time with that,just go to Europe and the magic will happen. Most of or players have lost all sense of drive and bought into their own success stories before they happen patting themselves on the back, Which is why you see CONCACAF players from other countries hungry playing in leagues like MLS steadily improving. We FIRST need attitude change across our soccer family and get back to fighting to advance our sport and us against the world mentality. Then we can get better and try it again
My town has an MLS team, so I’m good for watching at the stadium. I agree that the MLS business model is focused on selling franchises. Those fees get split among existing owners, which makes it free money for just saying yes to a new ownership group. But, tv money is the long term thing. EPL tv money transformed the 2nd or 3rd best league in Europe into the most-watched football league on the planet.
I do worry that the low-importance MLS regular season makes the casual fan drift in and out of paying attention. But, I tend to agree that with minor tweaks, the league should power through with its current season; improve the quality of play, and hope that the product will slowly pull eyeballs from competing sports. There are few quick fixes; MLS will have to play the long game and hope that demographics works in its favor.
“the MLS business model is focused on selling franchises. ”
No it isn’t. The league is in a growth phase, and that includes expansion. And expansion means an expansion fee, something all of the American sports leagues have. The expansion fee is primarily for compensating current owners for the dilution of their interest in the league. It is not revenue per se, and certainly isn’t the business model any more than it is for the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, all of which have expansion fees.
My count says there were 88 games and an average of 235,000 viewers, and in 4 games there was no TV rating report, two in UniMás and two in FS1.
The total is 92 games. 📺⚽️🇺🇸
I think the there needs to be better quality broadcasts and more programming dedicated to the league through its media partners. As an avid MLS fan, the best place for content is the MLS website itself. That means people who are watching a channel or scanning a website for other info aren’t being introduced to MLS enough. If the networks don’t put time or effort into the league, fans assume its not worth their own time.
Good points Dale for instance the MLS Review show(similar to styled match of the day show that air in the UK and was prevalent on the old Fox Soccer Channel is airred on EPSN+. That is a great show it really captures the essence and passion of the league. Its stuff like that that is packaged perfectly for a US TV audience into a 25min show. Its something ESPN/ABC should could due like NBC did with Inside the NBA in the 90’s where the show would air and be shown on repeat during times thru the day. That’s the sort of thing that casual fans and the general public could get a glimpse of the league. That would do just as much over time as airing a bunch of OTA games.
It’s hard to know what’s worse? The quality of play in the MLS or some of the supporters. If you take published viewing figures as an attack you are probably the one with the issue. It’s 24 years and and still the nonstop excuses from some MLS supporters. It’s college footballs fault, the NFL season, the NBA, MLB, NHL playoffs, it’s the hot weather, it’s the cold weather, it’s the owners fault, a new stadium will solve everything, they need to make the game time later, they need to make the game time earlier, it’s the broadcasters fault!. Then their whole Euro snob, you are either with us or against us type attitude is laughable.
Well Said DT. I stopped watching MLS for a while. Its our league attitude is disgusting. I used to love the playoffs during the week. No conflict with college or the NFL. You make that switch nearly all of my friends and myselft are stuck. HMMMM NFL, College football or Atlanta Scum v Seattle Timbers? Come one. The only ones still watching are the losers that stand behind the goal.
I’m confused as to how other news outlets report that MLS was up on ESPN/ESPN2 and up on FS1 and FOX Deportes, but yet WST says they’re down across the board. It just reads like the author is just cherry picking numbers to help make the point they want made (that MLS is doing poorly). I agree with some of the other comments, if you dislike MLS so much, just stop watching it. Or, cover all the leagues equally instead of this pure anti MLS stance.
Yes Daniel, there are leagues in Europe that don’t do as well as MLS…the country is called Luxembourg!! ALL of the top leagues in Europe have better attendance than the MLS…This ain’t a Drumpf rally…FACTS!!
If your going to be an a$$, you should know your facts. You are factually wrong.
Nah, MLS is actually eighth in the world in attendance behind the Bundesliga, the Premier League, La Liga, the Chinese Super League, Liga MX, Ligue 1, and Serie A.
MLS is awful. The Luxembourg League is better then the MLS. Get a life troll
So, here’s a four year old article that should help resolve that attendance spat. By the way-watch many leagues from around the world and the home crowd passion rivals with the best of the world week after week in many areas, many leagues feel like the crowd is non-existent until a goal is scored.
http://www.makegamedayeveryday.com/newsfeed/2015/10/29/10113/comparing-mls-attendance-to-other-leagues-in-the-world
According to that article, MLS had average attendance of 21,574 in 2015. This past season MLS average attendance was 21,310. But when you factor in that Atlanta United FC (52,510 average attendance and #1 in MLS) and FC Cincinnati (27,336 average attendance and #3 in MLS) you start to see the problem. Only growth is expansion. Rest of league is drawing lower attendance. Remove AUFC and FCC, average attendance is 2,000 less in 4 years.
Which is why you don’t remove them…..or we could remove Celtic/Rangers from SPL and so on. Sure there are issues in some markets-can’t argue that. Regardless, attendance stacks up well with most other countries and that’s not likely to dramatically change.
Well you would hope that MLS attendance stacks up well with most other countries since MLS awards franchises in markets the size of some European countries. Celtic & Rangers share a city smaller than Boston. The entire Scottish population is less than the state of Minnesota. They don’t play in the summer and they have pro/relegation. Not really comparing the same type of systems and you can’t exactly get in the car or train here in the US and end up in Anfield or Old Trafford.
“Only growth through expansion” How is that a bad thing? at 24 teams with 8 more to go the newer teams since 2015 and traditional stalwarts like Seattle and Portland are holding down the fort. Just seems like a reach to say its only the new teams and state it as a bad thing. At some point the newer teams will out number the MLS 1.0 teams that never caught on. The newer markets with expansion teams are carrying the league as they are taken much more serious in there markets than MLS 1.0 teams were.
What happens when expansion stops? No more growth? I think you make a good point that newer teams are carrying the league and taken more serious. MLS 1.0 for the most part is the issue. Columbus Crew’s average attendance down 2,100 in last four years and this is after “Save the Crew”. I will argue that the Crew does not need saving but moving a team to Austin does not make any sense either. Austin’s new USL team is not even able to average 2,400 why does the owners and the league think that they can get 20,000 to a MLS team? Columbus, Dallas, Colorado, and Chicago all are not averaging at least 15,000. Granted, only Dallas made the playoffs (7th) but then that brings up pro/rel………….
Size of city comparison is weak, soccer is bar far the legacy sport in most big European cities, here it’s niche-fifth most popular sport at best. Edwin made great points earlier, put EPL against the other sports (especially football- love soccer but find college/nfl much more exciting) and then check ratings, lower teams would struggle to achieve MLS numbers. Despite all the usual huffing and puffing on this subject, bottom line is MLS easily beats all other soccer leagues on TV other than EPL & Liga MX. Honestly believe these stories are printed to get action from both sides to pump up post volume. Most articles on this site have less than 3 responses, throw this subject out there every few weeks to generate interest.
“here it’s niche-fifth most popular sport at best. ”
Nope. The evidence shows that soccer – the sport as a whole – is more popular than hockey, the presumed 4th of the “Big 4”. Polling, TV viewership (La Liga, EPL, etc) demonstrate this. Soccer in the US is MUCH more than just MLS.
But yes, your overall point that it’s much bigger in Europe is obviously true.
As mentioned in the article, there is nothing to play for during the regular season and by the time the play offs come around the apathy as long set in, With European leagues you have promotion/relegation so even if a team is at the wrong end of the table they have plenty to play for. and this is what draws the TV viewer.
The last 4 sentences of the article are the bible of this topic, capturing the essence.
“MLS is broken for two main reasons: (1) games are not as competitive as other leagues because the champion is determined in a cup competition after 5 months of largely irrelevant league games. (2) The quality of soccer in the bottom half of MLS is poor because there’s no penalty or relegation and very little accountability for a team that plays badly in the league.
“Meanwhile, soccer fans in the US have access to better soccer from around the world that’s more accessible than MLS games. As a result, viewers are tuning out MLS and tuning into other leagues, clubs and competitions from around the world.”
Understand wanting pro/rel but let’s be realistic it’s never going to happen. There were many irrelevant matches but also many teams were pushing to make playoffs. There are also many irrelevant matches in Europe, many leagues are just about sewn up by February just like LAFC would’ve sewn up this league up a couple of months ago. Easy to watch pro/rel.matches but not so much teams battling for a Europa league spot.
Joe you are comparing apples and oranges. There are four divisions or more in the top leagues in Europe. The MLS ONE…it is only logical that the averages are less. When you can maintain averages with a 4 division set up here in the US, we’ll talk…otherwise your stats are badly skewed.
Was just obliging with the FACTS you referenced earlier in Luxembourg post.
Sorry about the wild ass Luxembourg comment Joe, but I guess what it comes down to is that the MLS is a well attended league of extreme mediocrity. 0 current world class players play in the MLS and any young player who thinks it’s a smart career move to play MLS instead of play abroad for quality teams is perhaps not quite as talented as they might think. Pullisic certainly has made the right move as has Josh amongst others, if our national team starts to rely heavily on MLS American players, we are doomed to poor showings internationally (except
CONCACAF). Maybe I’m mistakenly assuming that MLS fans want the national team to do well…perhaps the MLS is the driving thing and USMNT and afterthought…I confess, I do not even pretend to understand this situation.
While the fact the MLS has a ratings problem is true, it’s a short-sided problem and performing triage on it shouldn’t be the focus for the league right now. A few things MLS has going in it’s favor and points to consider.
1. MLS has been smart in it’s recent expansion strategy. Teams coming in with soccer-specific stadiums, Omni-cultural audiences in young DMA’s. Look no further than Miami, Nashville, Austin and look at the success Atlanta Utd and LAFC has had attracting fans and success on the pitch in short order.
2. It’s very important for MLS to look for partners that are digital-first, speak to younger audiences and cover the league with the right tone to capture as many of those fans as possible on the platforms younger fans are consuming on. FOX in particular is bringing the MLS down IMO given their audience just doesn’t care about week in and week out soccer. EPL languished there for cyring out loud and that was when they had a dedicated soccer channel. FS1 was a rebrand of Speed and brought that audience profile with it. They should focus on the World Cups where the reach of Fox broadcast can bring in scale for the casual fans that end up tuning in and cut MLS loose which will only help MLS.
3. Someone made the point on super teams and I think that’s 100% the way this will turn out. MLS currently has the (3) designated player rule. The reality is very few teams are exercising it properly because they don’t have either a) ownership with the desire and the ability to spend, or b) sporting director management and player overseas scouting smart enough to bring in the right players. I mentioned Atlanta Utd and LAFC and those would be two notable exceptions (Vela, Almiron, Barco, Rossi, and Brian Rodriguez are all examples of players signed very smartly that can easily be playing in one of the top 4 leagues today and probably would be now if they weren’t brought in by forward-thinking mgmt. as DP’s… with Vela having already done it and Almiron doing it now). I think in the next 5 years, you’ll see the DP limit loosed up even more and you can probably handicap the teams most likely to use it wisely and achieve “super team” status.
4. Once MLS have super teams, they will be able to compete at the top end with Liga MX first. This is very important for legitimacy in the eyes of the 1st and 2nd generation Hispanic audience that primarily watches weekly soccer in the U.S. (see Liga MX ratings). Leagues Cup and Campeones Cup I think is just the start. MLS knows they need their teams playing in high leverage games with the top Liga MX teams. The Liga MX owners aren’t stupid and know they want to tap into a just reward via rights fees their product deserves based on current US consumption. Don’t be surprised if there’s a league or expanded cup version where the top Liga MX and MLS super teams compete down the line. Maybe a tier 1 league where both MLS and Liga MX continue to co-exist.
5. Back to TV ratings. Credit to NBC who have grown and expanded the base from Fox. But the MLS is always going to be disadvantaged given 3 big things working against it. 1) In theory, it’s biggest core audience potential (1st, 2nd generation Latinos) are being picked off by Liga MX. 2) The perceived and real “inferior quality” bias relative to European leagues limits its growth. It’s also a hard ask to get fans who are tuning in consistently early mornings on weekends to watch EPL, La Liga to come back 8+ hours later for National MLS games without “super teams” to draw that audience in. 3) Older people watch TV on a daily, week in and week out basis. Most 55+ Americans just don’t watch soccer.
MLS needs to continue to work on and refine 1-4 and take a long approach. They have the shifting U.S. demographic trend in its favor but need to do the right things to capture the attention and increase its legitimacy with young fans who look at talent, sporting/competitive considerations, and cultural relevancy when deciding what to pay attention to.
Apology accepted, never said that it was world class (how many leagues are really?), for me I find it exciting which in the end is all I really care about. So many world leagues are a bore these days ‘cept PL, Bund. and maybe Argentine. Enjoy EFL also but those matches can be painful to watch at times.